Aligning means for billing machines



Sept. 24, 1940. A? w T R 2,216,042 ALIGN'ING MEANS FOR BILLING MACHINES I Filed D60. 28; 1956 2 ShIBtS-Sheet 1 VENTOR p 1940- A. w. METZNER I 2,216,042

ALIGNING MEANS FOR BILLING MACHINES Filed D60. 28, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m-RNEY Patented Sept. 24, 1940 ALIGNING MEANS FOR BILLING MACHINES Albert W. Metzner, Dayton, Ohio, asslgnor to John Q. Sherman, Dayton, Ohio Application December 28, 1936, Serial No. 117,872

8 Claims.

connected form stationery between which are interleaved relatively short sheets of transfer material periodically shifted relative to the record strips out of transferring relation with a set of inscribed forms into registry with the succeeding set of forms to be inscribed, and pertains more particularly to improved means for insuring accurate registration of the superposed forms of the succeeding set preparatory to the writing operation and for holding the stationery against retrograde movement during retraction of the transfer material.

For illustrative purposes, but with no intent to unduly limit the scope or application of the invention, it is herein shown and described as applied to a well known form of writing or billing machine of the type originally disclosed in Letters Patent of Wernery and Smith 1,132,055 of March 16, 1915 and which has been the subject matter of sundry subsequent Letters Patents, including 1,304,213 to Smith, May 20, 1919, No. 1,349,015, to Stickney, August 10, 1920,.No. 1,425,-

293 to Smith, August 8, 1922, and others.

Modern commercial usage of printed forms having closely spaced lines and restricted spaces in which data is to be inscribed, necessitates accurate registry and alignment'of the corre- 3 sponding forms upon superposed strips in order that the inscriptions produced upon underlying forms may be in exact accord .and positioned identically with those upon the topmost or original record.

Marginally punched strips of series connected forms are commonly employed for manifolding purposes and are commercially available. Ordi-' narily the marginal holes are utilized for feeding purposes by engagement of travelling pin type feeding devices therein. However, the particular writing machine to which the present invention is applied is devoid of pin type feeding devices and in the present instance the marginal holes are utilized for other than feeding purpose by engagement therein of fixed locating studs or projections subsequent to the writing operation and preferably after the inscribed portion of the strips have been advanced to the tear off position. The engagement of the fixed studs in corresponding marginal holes, not only holds the strips against retrograde motion in unison with the retraction of the transfer material, but in event that the forms and holes of different strips are out of registry, the advance margins of the engaged holes of certain of the strips by contacting the studs will hold those strips stationary, while other strips of which the advance margins of the engaged holes are in spaced relation with the studs will be retracted by the friction of the relatively moving interleaved transfer sheets until they too engage the studs whereupon they will be stationarily held with their imprinted forms in register with those of other strips.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction as well as the means and mode of operation of manifolding writing machines whereby they may not only be economically manufactured, but will be of increased efficiency, capable of producing uniformly registered copies, substantially automatic in operation, easily operated to register and align copies, and unlikely to get out of repair.

v A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive addition to present writing machines by which the registry and alignment of manifolding forms used thereon may be assured.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method of registering and aligning forms.

A further object of the invention is the utilization of the shifting movement of the interleaved tics herein mentioned.

Referring to the drawings wherein is shown the preferred but obviously not necessarily .the only form of embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a well known form of billing machine in normal writing condition to which the present invention has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the billing'machine shown in Fig. 1 adjusted to transfer retractive condition. v 4

Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of a portion of the apparatus.

Figs. 4 and 5 diagrammatically illustrate the relative adjustment of superposed strips necessary to maintain registry of the forms.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

While the present invention is applicable to different styles of writing, billlng and tabul-ating machines, for illustrative purposes but with no intent to unduly limit the scope or application of the invention, it is herein shown and described in combination with an Underwood billing machine such as is shown and described in the aforementioned'prior Letters Patents to which reference is made for more detailed description thereof. 1

Briefly, such apparatus comprises a convention- 81 form of typewriter I, rearwardly of which is located an extension table 2 supporting reciprocatory carbon carrier 3. Attached to the carrier 3 are multiple sheets of transfer material interleaved between superposed strips 4 of record material progressively advanced from a supply packet 5 at the rear of the apparatus. The strips and the interleaved transfer material pass over the extension table 2 and thence over the usual paper guide and are fed about the platen roll 6 by frictional pressure rollers I which cooperate with the underside of the platen. The platen roll 6 is mounted in an oscillatory frame which includes a second paper guide 8 over which the inscribed portions of the strips from the platen pass upwardly and rearwardly when the frame is swung forwardly and downwardly as is shown in Fig.2 the pressure of the feed rolls is relieved and the record strips are straightened horizontally whereupon they may be freely drawn forwardly past the platen until the inscribed form is advanced to the tear off position and the succeeding form is in its initial writing position. However, before the inscribed forms are detached from the supply strips 4, the carbon carrier 3 is manually retracted by means of the push bar 1 to withdraw the interleaved transfer sheets from between the record strips into transfer relation with the succeeding set of forms. The strips being free and straightened clue to the forward oscillation of the platen roll frame, the leaves of transfer material may be retracted comparatively easily. There will nevertheless exist sufficient frictional contact between the record strips and the transfer sheets the surfaces of which are ordinarily somewhat tenacious to induce some retractive influence upon the advanced strips 4. Ordinarily the operator will maintain a tight grasp on the forward ends of the strips with one hand while the push bar i is'operated by the other hand to retract the carbon carrier 3 and attached sheets. Continuous strips of series connected detachable form stationery having longitudinally disposed successions of marginally punched holes are-widely used for commercial manifolding purposes. Such marginal holes are ordinarily utilized for feeding the strips by engagement therein of travelling pin type feeding devices. The billing machine illustrated in the drawings to which the present invention is applied is not ordinarily equipped with such pin type feeding means and none is shown 4 in the drawings- However the manifolding strips 4 illustrated in the drawings are provided with marginal holes 9 substantially identical with those ordinarily used for strip feeding purposes. Upon the upper guide plate 9 over which the strips are advanced upwardly and rearwardly from the platen, there .are provided a pair of relatively fixed spaced studs or pins l0 disposed in the paths of travel of the marginal holes 9 of the strips. The studs or pins are of somewhat less diameter than the size of the holes and are preferably although not necessarily curved rearwardly in the direction of travel of the record strips.

When a set of superposed forms have been inscribed and the supply strips 4 have been collectivly advanced to the tear off position, but before the oscillatory platen carrier has been swung forward to relax the tension upon the strips, by laying the operator's hand upon the strips over the guide plate 8 the strips are depressed into engagement with the spaced studs Ill. The studs l0 each engage in some one or another of the marginal holes 9, which are sufficiently close together that there will always be a hole in proximate relation with each stud I0. While the strips 4 are engaged with the studs III the platen carrier is swung forwardly and downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2. Due to the curvature of the studs the strips will retain their engagement and not easily become dislodged. The transfer sheet carrier is then pushed rearwardly to retract the transfer sheets from between the inscribed portions of the strips into registry with the succeeding set of blank forms. In so doing the frictional contact of the more or less tenacious transfer sheets with the record strips tends to also draw the record sheets rearwardly in unison until arrested by the engagement of the forward margins of the engaged holes 9 with the studs iii. If the superposed strips are out of registry whereby the holes will be overlapped, as shown in Fig. 4, they are capable of a limited relative shifting movement within the limitsof the holes. The retractive movement of the record strips under the influence of the transfer sheets being re tracted will cause the advance margin of the engaged hole in one of the record strips to engage the stud whereupon such strip will be held stationary thereby while another strip continues to move rearwardly until the advance margin of the engaged hole in that strip also engages the stud which arrests the movement of the strip with the holes of the respective strips concentrically disposed and the superposed forms carried by the strips in registry. If there are a greater number of superposed strips to be registered the automatic adjustment of the strips under influence of the retractive movement of the transfer sheets continues until all of the strips are in registry and the corresponding engaged holes thereof are concentric with their forward margins simultaneously engaging the studs l0.

Thus the studs duo-functionally hold the strips against undue rearward movement I with the transfer strips, obviating the necessity for manually holding the strips while the transfer sheets are being readjusted, and they further automati-' cally effect accurate registry of the strips and forms carried thereby by permitting a slight relative shifting movement of the strips under retractive influence of the transfer material but arresting such movement when'the engaged holes are in concentric relation, as in Fig. 5, at which time the forms are in registry.

The transfer sheets having been retracted, the platen carrier frame is returned from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1, and without the necessity of manually disengaging the strips 4 from the studs Hi the writing operation proceeds.

The advancement of the strips by the usual line spacing mechanism effects automatic disengagement of the strips from the studs by pushing the strips therefrom in their direction of curvature.

The curvature of the studs thus not only tends to prevent disengagement when the swinging platen frame or carrier is inverted as in Fig. 2, but such curvature further faciLtates the automatic disengagement of the strips therefrom during normal operation of the machine.

To insure accurate alignment of the successions of holes 9 in the strips with the holding studs l0, upstanding guide flanges II are provided' on the paper guide plate B'in proximate relation with the studs l0. Such guide flanges flare spaced apart a distance agreeing with the width of the strips 4 which pass therebetween.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the charjustment relative to the pin within the limits of acter described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form'of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is, there-- fore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a writing machine including a platen and feeding means for advancing record strips and associated transfer material sheets past a Writing position, and an oscillatory platen carriage by adjustment of which tension on the strips and sheets developed in advancement of the sheets and strips past the platen is relieved, of detent means beyond the writing position and with which the record mate rial may be detachably engaged to prevent retrograde movement of the record strips while permitting free retractive adjustment of the transfer material, and of a nature to automatically release the record strips upon advancement I thereof by'the feeding means.

2. The combination with a writing machine including a platen, a feeding means for advahcing superposed record strips having in each a longitudinally aligned succession of spaced holes and interleaved transfer material sheets past a writing position and a guide over which the inscribed portions of the strips pass upwardly and rearwardly, of a .detent means associated with the guide to be selectively engaged in corresponding holes in the record material to prevent retrograde movement 'of the record strips while permitting free relative retractive adjustment of the transfer material, the detent means being adapted to release the record strips automatically upon advancement thereof by the feeding means.

3. 'Ihe combination with a writing machine including a platen about which strips of record material having perforations therein and interleaved transfer material sheets are fed for writing purposes and feeding means for advancing the record strips and transfer material sheets past a Writing position, of a pin beyond the writing position and with which perforations in the record strips may be selectively engaged to prevent retrograde movement of the record strips while permitting free retractive adjustment of the transfer material, the pin being of lesser size than the perforations in the record material strips whereby the stops are free for independent adthe perforations and of a nature to permit automatic disengagement of the record strips therefrom by advance movement of the strips.

4. The combination with a writing machine including a platen aboutwhich strips of record material having perforations therein and associated transfer material sheets are fed for writing purposes and feeding means for advancing,

the record strips and transfer material sheets past a writing position, of a pin beyond the writing position and with which perforations in the record strips may be selectively engaged to prevent retrograde movement of the record strips while permitting free retractive adjustment of the transfer material, the pin being of a nature to permit automatic disengagement of the record strips therefrom by advance movement of the strips.

5. The combination with a writing machine including a platen about which superposed strips of record strips having marginal perforations therein and associated transfer material sheets are fed for writing purposes and feeding means for advancing the record strips and transfer material sheets past a writing position of pins contiguous to the writing position and with which marginal perforations in the strips may be selectively engaged to prevent retrograde movement of the strips while permitting free retractive movement of the transfer material sheets, the pins being angled in the direction of movement of the record material past the platen whereby to avoid engagement with the perforations in the record material except on retractive movement of the record material.

6. An apparatus wherein a sheet of transfer material interleaved between superposed perforated strips of record material is subjected to intermittent retractive influence and which tends to carry with it the associated strips of record material including a detent of less size than the perforations of superposed strips of record material to limit the retractive movements thereof under influence of the transfer material and' tervals permitting limited retractive adjustment thereof in unison with the transfer material and adapted to arrest movement of the respective strips when corresponding portions thereof have been relatively adjusted into registry with each other, while permitting further independent adjustment of the transfer material, the stop means being adapted to release the record material strips automatically upon advance movement of the record strips.

8. In a writing machine wherein superposed strips of record material having therein longitudinally spaced holes are advanced past writing position'on a platen, a pair of fixed studs located in the path of travel of the strips and engageable in corresponding holes in the strips to prevent retractive movement thereof about the platen, the studs being angled in the direction of movement of the'record material past the platen whereby to avoid engagement with the perforations in the record material except on retractive movement of the materiaL,

ALBERT W. METZNER. 

